GULF OF MEXICO (July 3, 2017) The amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) has conducts its first set of sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Ingalls’ test and trials team spent four days operating the 11th San Antonio-class ship and demonstrating its systems. (U.S. Navy photo by Lance Davis/Released) 170703-N-N0101-001
On November 10, forces from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Israel and US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) kicked off a multilateral maritime security operations exercise in the Red Sea.
In a statement, NAVCENT said that the five-day exercise will include at-sea training aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) focused on visit, board, search and seizure tactics. The exercise is supposed to enhance interoperability between participating forces’ maritime interdiction teams.
This is the first time that Israel publicly trains with the UAE and Bahrain. It comes as a result of the transfer of the responsibility for Israel from the US Europe Command to the US Central Command.
“It is exciting to see US forces training with regional partners to enhance our collective maritime security capabilities,” said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of NAVCENT, US 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces. “Maritime collaboration helps safeguard freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade, which are essential to regional security and stability.”
Last week, Iran’s naval forces held a large-scale exercise in the Gulf of Oman, the northern part of the Indian Ocean and in sections of the Red Sea.
The exercise, which is supposedly meant to improve military cooperation between US allies in the Middle East, appears to be a message to Iran. Tehran is set to rejoin the talks with the US on its nuclear program in Vienna in less than three weeks.
This nuclear talk shows how vulnerable and desperate Israel is. Israel wants them to stop their missile program inorder to reach an agreement on the nuclear deal. Iran won’t stop its missiles programs so I doubt this next meeting will do anything.
“…focused on visit, board, search and seizure tactics.”
One might think they already have enough experience in these things, given one is officially a pirate and the other is a famous land thief (plus one: the Fat Bastard), but what do we know?
Sometimes I think it might not be such a bad idea to invite Turkey for a joint naval drill right in the Persian Gulf, just for giggles to see Saudis tear themselves a new one!! :))
Brother, I know that you and Turkey are friends and allies.
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